WATFORD BRIDGE GAP TO REACH FINAL
Supersub Gerard Deulofeu inspires the Hornets to FA Cup final after epic fightback breaks Wolves’ hearts
WATFORD 3
Deulofeu 79, 104, Deeney 90 pen
WOLVERHAMPTON 2
Doherty 36,Jimenez 62 (after extra time)
Watford boss Javi Gracia believes Gerard Deulofeu used his anger at being left on the bench to inspire Watford to a sensational FA Cup semi-final comeback against Wolves.
The super sub struck a brilliant brace, including a 104thminute winner, as the Hornets hit back from 2-0 down with 11 minutes left to win 3-2 at Wembley.
The 25-year-old turned the game with an audacious chip before a 90th-minute penalty by Troy Deeney, pictured, sent it into extra-time.
Wolves were on the brink of reaching their first FA Cup final for 59 years after goals from Matt Doherty and Raul Jimenez put them
2-0 up with 62 minutes gone, but Deulofeu’s 66th-minute introduction sent the Hornets into their second FA Cup final and first since 1984, where they will face Manchester City.
Gracia said: “I think Gerard was angry when we started to play. I like to see the players this way, when they’ve felt
angry, to show what they are able to do. He helped the team scoring two important goals. The first one was high quality, but it’s not a surprise, I see him in all the training sessions. “We knew when we started with other players Gerard would be important, I knew it. What I didn’t know was when we started to play we were losing 2-0. All the players show they deserve to play and it’s not easy to choose the moments for them.”
Wolves were in control and cruising thanks to Doherty’s 36th-minute opener and Jimenez’s close-range finish just after the hour.
Deulofeu’s superb chip with
11 minutes left pulled a goal back to set up a grandstand finish. Deeney’s penalty then hauled Watford level in added time after the striker was tripped by Leander Dendoncker.
Gracia added: “Troy is our captain and is important and in that moment I was full of confidence. I was calm because I knew Troy would score. When everything was lost the team was able to show our character, our personality and ambition.”
Deulofeu won it after 104 minutes when he latched on to Andre Gray’s pass, held off Conor Coady and rolled a finish past John Ruddy.
“It’s a tough moment of real
pain and disappointment,” said Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo.
“The feeling is we had it. It went away from us, we have to look at it, we have to realise in the last minute of the game we should manage better.
“It’s pain and silence [in the dressing room] of course. All that we’ve done, the tough ties we have had to reach Wembley, now it’s over. We face it as a group. Even though we are in real pain we are conscious we should have done better.
“It’s difficult to face Watford, congratulations to them, but we should have done better. Nothing is going to change. We have to realise we had it.”
Nuno also trusted the video
assistant referee after VAR was used to check on Michael Oliver’s crucial penalty decision.
“If VAR is in the game, if they judge the situation and see the images, I trust them,” he added. “The moment that happened we realised it was going to be tougher for us, the momentum of the game was with Watford.”